LPN Deep Dives: HOSAB / Episode 23: Mayor McCheese, if you please!

Summary

LPN Deep Dives: Crescent City

HOSAB, Episode 23: Mayor McCheese, if you please!

Hosts: Natalie Jean & Jackie Zebrowski
Date: November 11, 2025

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Episode Overview

This episode picks up the deep dive into House of Sky and Breath (HOSAB), focusing on the chaotic infiltration of Idra Island and the fallout as Bryce, Hunt, Rune, and friends attempt to halt the distribution of deadly mech suits. The hosts blend detailed plot breakdowns, irreverent humor, and wild digressions (notably, a lengthy riff about McDonaldland characters) while covering pivotal moments including Pippa’s villainy, high-stakes sabotage, and the group's narrow escape via the Ocean Queen’s submarine.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Immersive Roleplay and Banter (02:41–08:26)

• Natalie and Jackie open the content with energetic, cosplay-style banter, joking about mech suits, robot personas, “monster fucker” preferences, and improv fighting with lightning and knives.
• Notable quote:
  “I think it's good to keep everybody feeling threatened throughout an episode.”
  — Natalie Jean (03:28)
• Good-humored speculation about Mormon robots, queer wrestling archetypes, and the economics of crafting costume wings.

2. Plot Recap – Idra Island Infiltration (09:31–17:53)

• The team covers Hunt, Bryce, Rune, and Cormac’s cautious teleportation onto Idra Island, noting Cormac’s physical toll during multi-step teleportation and the strain of magical travel (10:08–10:55).
• Cormac, drained from repeated “lily pad” jumps, pushes the group into position to witness the rebel group Ophion unloading stolen mech suits (11:14–11:39).
• Introduction of Pippa Spetsos as the new, ruthless leader orchestrating the mech suit trade—quickly recognized as a dangerous wildcard in the resistance.
• Quote:
  "Anyone that wants that amount of power is probably... probably bad."
  — Adam, on the nature of warmongers, Pippa, and fast food mayors (17:56)

3. McDonaldland Tangent & Mayor McCheese (12:27–14:46)

• Natalie and Jackie launch into a spirited aside dissecting the McDonaldland characters, pondering which is most “f***able,” and correcting the confusion between Hamburglar and Mayor McCheese.
• Quote:
  “Come and check. Fucking throw. Thank you, Mayor McCheese. And I'd say Mayor Mc. Squeeze me on that dick.”
  — Adam (14:19)
• Tangent underscores the podcast’s trademark mix of pop culture chaos and book analysis.

4. Tension Among the Rebels (19:01–22:41)

• Cormac imparts bad news: they can’t isolate or question Pippa without arousing suspicion; she’s both paranoid and increasingly despotic (19:01–21:52).
• Pippa’s chilling logic—her readiness to deploy bioweapons, indifference to innocent casualties, and suspicion of everyone.
• Quote:
  “You're too coiled up in your own snake's nest to see the truth. Or to see who among you has a forked tongue.”
  — Pippa (24:33)
• The hosts highlight the “snake in the grass” line as a marker for internal betrayal and simmering distrust.

5. Discovery and Destruction of the Bioweapon Suits (25:13–34:04)

• Hunt identifies the new suits as housing Gorzian stone, allowing them to siphon magic from ley lines and create mass destruction (26:06–27:13).
• Quote:
  “This tech will clearly just kill infinite people… It’s not a war weapon …this is just pure rage and hate.”
  — Bryce’s (via narration) reaction (27:13)
• The group realizes Pippa plans to massacre both humans and veneer; she executes allied rebels to clean up loose ends (30:18–32:13).
• Bryce, Hunt, and Therian make a desperate pact: the suits can’t be left with Lightfall/Ophion.
• Hunt “lights up” the suits with lightning, destroying the tech as the squad flees (34:04).

6. Action Sequence: Escape & Betrayal (36:15–44:51)

• Hunt and Therian eliminate the bioweapon threat, blowing up vehicles and weapon stockpiles with lightning and water magic (36:15–38:21).
• Cormac is shot with a Gorzian bullet, leaving him unable to teleport the group out (40:18–41:08).
• Bryce suppresses her disgust with the rebels; emotional conflict flares between Cormac and the others regarding loyalties and consequences (41:44–42:07).
• The gang flees by boat, Bryce using her magic to blind pursuers, while Hunt keeps his guard up (43:01).
• Quote:
  "He knew that dog…that particular shade of black, like the wings it bore in its other form. The hound ran along the cliffs barking."
  — Natalie Jean, narrating as Hunt spots Baxian (43:17)

7. Narrow Escapes & Arrival of the Hind (44:53–52:48)

• Cormac’s inability to teleport forces the group to try water escape, only to be met by the Triarii (the Asteri’s elite), including the Hind (48:11–51:22).
• Intense stand-off as Hunt’s powers build to uncontrollable levels—risking electrocution of everyone in the water (52:03).
• The Hind produces a white stone, confirming Sophie’s death to Cormac’s devastation (53:56–54:09).

8. Deus ex Submarine: Rescue by the Ocean Queen (57:52–64:53)

• As the group is cornered and Hunt is about to lose control, a massive submarine (“Depth Charger”) surfaces beneath them, offering mysterious rescue (57:52–59:50).
• A mer-woman, Commander Sendes, welcomes them, stating they were guided to Bryce’s starlight by their ship’s Oracle (60:36–61:19).
• Quote:
  “Welcome to the Depth Charger, one of the six city ships of the Ocean Queen's court beneath.”
  — Commander Sendes (63:49)
• The group realizes they're now sheltering aboard a colossal undersea craft allied with the Ocean Queen—questioning whether they are guests, allies, or hostages.

9. Character Relationships & Mating Revelation (61:19–63:10)

• Rune reveals to Bryce that Hunt’s lightning-fueled ferocity is “mate rage”; their scents have “merged,” confirming Fae-style mateship (61:44–62:11).
• Natalie and Jackie relish the drama, humorously commenting on “fuck-joined” siblings and the soapiness of the big emotional reveal.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Pippa’s Ruthlessness:
  "She just committed a bunch of murders… Straight up. Even if there's a justification—they call it 'war' or whatever—those were allies."
  — Natalie (31:02)
• On Hunt’s Lightning Rage:
  "I'm lightning. I'm all lightning."
  — Adam (34:55)
  "He'd fry every single one of them if it meant getting Bryce out alive."
  — Rune's POV, read by Natalie (56:18)
• On Hostage Status:
  "Frankly, I don't know who they wouldn’t be hostages for at this point. Everybody hates enemy number one over here."
  — Natalie (59:04)
• On Ship's Arrival:
  "A squid as large as the Commidium, and made of glass and matte metal for stealth… Welcome to the Depth Charger…”
  — Commander Sendes (63:40–63:49)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment Description | |-------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 02:41–06:12 | Opening banter, roleplay, and setting the meta tone | | 09:31–10:55 | Teleportation into Idra Island, limitations on magic | | 12:27–14:46 | McDonaldland tangent—Mayor McCheese & Hamburglar discourse | | 19:01–21:52 | Cormac’s report: Pippa’s takeover & rebel group paranoia | | 25:13–27:13 | Discovery of Gorzian mech suits, implications for war | | 30:18–32:13 | Pippa executes rebel "allies"; hosts discuss morality | | 34:04–36:38 | Hunt and Therian destroy the suits, initiating escape | | 40:18–41:08 | Cormac shot with Gorzian bullet, further imperiling escape plans | | 43:17–44:04 | Spotting Baxian, the black dog—foreshadowing and shifting loyalties | | 48:11–52:48 | Hind’s arrival, tension in water, Hunt's powers spiraling | | 53:56–54:09 | The Hind reveals Sophie’s death to Cormac | | 57:52–63:49 | Rescue by mer-ship, introduction of Commander Sendes, mate revelation, new ship setting |

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Tone & Style

The conversation is a comedic mix of fangirl glee, irreverent pop culture asides, and genuine engagement with Sarah J. Maas’s narrative. The hosts are playful, snarky, and emotionally invested, not afraid to draw bawdy or absurd parallels ("Mayor McCheese" as a satirical archetype for power-mad leaders; monster-fucking jokes juxtaposed with tragic plot moments). They cite in-world logic, speculate about character choices, and break for meta-commentary at will.

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Final Thoughts

Episode 23 is a dense recap and analysis loaded with major plot developments, dark humor, and character insight. The group’s moral quandaries grow starker in the face of escalating violence and betrayal—especially with Pippa’s heel turn and the chilling use of ancient power for war. The closing arrival of the Ocean Queen’s “Depth Charger” submarine brings some hope (and a new set of mysteries), as well as the major relationship revelation about Hunt and Bryce’s Fae “mating bond.”

Listeners are left poised as the gang, once again fugitives, must reckon with new potential allies or jailers—and whatever underwater machinations the Ocean Queen’s court may hold.

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Next Reading Assignment:
Read up to Chapter 47 for the next episode!

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Transcript

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[Adam]

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[Adam]

We'Re going to Prythian and Vaalbara and.

[Natalie Jean]

Bezgaeth if you're nasty and you can too.

[Adam]

Join us in spring of 2026 at the Dreamers and Readers Festival, a three day event chock full of choose your own adventures.

[Natalie Jean]

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[Adam]

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[Natalie Jean]

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[Adam]

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[Natalie Jean]

Not only that, but if you use our code faybays at checkout for those events, you will receive an exclusive swag bag from the weekend.

[Adam]

I'll do anything for a swag bag, Natalie. Yes, that's right. Use our code Faybase F A E B A e [e-mail] to get your $10 off of any of these events.

[Natalie Jean]

Dreamers and readers Baby, I cannot wait for this.

[Adam]

Gimme, gimme. Give me that swag. Welcome to Crescent City with your hosts Natalie Jean and Jackie Zabrowski. It's probably going to be difficult for you to navigate the episode well.

[Natalie Jean]

Are we immersing people in the story or are we not?

[Adam]

I guess we are.

[Natalie Jean]

You still don't know what I am though?

[Adam]

No, but I know that you're going to.

[Natalie Jean]

My knife.

[Adam]

For those not watching the YouTube, I did just attack Natalie with lightning and it kind of. Kind of like a whip. Yeah, very scary. You did get whipped and I apologize if I attacked too furiously. But I'm out of control.

[Natalie Jean]

It was Good. It was a surprise attack. I did not know that was coming.

[Adam]

Good. I'm glad I kept. I kept the lightning underneath the table for that exact reason.

[Natalie Jean]

That's why. That's why you know, you're professional.

[Adam]

Thank you. Thank you. But, you know, your knife again, immersive. Yeah, I think it's. I. I think it's good to keep everybody feeling threatened throughout an episode.

[Natalie Jean]

That. That does allude to who I might be.

[Adam]

Maybe it's because, you know, you've been reading too much into the Mormon world. Maybe is a spun coming through.

[Natalie Jean]

You think this is something to do with Mormonism?

[Adam]

Yes. I'm going to assume maybe it has something to do with their religion or a nice robot. I mean, I've heard some interesting things that they believe over there, Natalie.

[Natalie Jean]

That's true, but I don't think robotics existed at the time. Is the only issue they write it in.

[Adam]

There's no updates.

[Natalie Jean]

Well, they're not supposed to really update it because it's supposed to be Joseph Smith's. His. His discussions with the Lord.

[Adam]

I think he needs more child brides.

[Natalie Jean]

That is a lot of people's opinions.

[Adam]

Are you a child bride?

[Natalie Jean]

Yes, this is definitely.

[Adam]

Is this what happens to the inside of the brain of a child bride?

[Natalie Jean]

Actually, probably.

[Adam]

Yeah.

[Natalie Jean]

I think, actually that could be.

[Adam]

If I could just become a robot. I'll slice them all.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, Yeah. I do think that might be, unfortunately, a little too real.

[Adam]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. But we like to keep it scary in here. And I am scared of you.

[Natalie Jean]

I hope. If you were attracted to me now, I would have questions for you.

[Adam]

I mean, I am a monster fucker. You're just not my type of monster.

[Natalie Jean]

I guess you could call me a monster. You're gonna figure out who I am.

[Adam]

Don't worry. I'm sure I will figure it out and I'll be like, oh, yeah, the robot with the knife hand. That robot. Oh, the mech suit.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah.

[Adam]

You are just a mech suit. I got it. You are a murder robot. Technically. You did a great job. You did a wonderful job. And I'm sorry I attacked you with lightning. You are a mech suit. And technically you would have pulverized me.

[Natalie Jean]

I mean, it's fair to attack me, though.

[Adam]

I. I am Hunt. So I gotta come after you with something.

[Natalie Jean]

I'm gonna take off my robot armor.

[Adam]

Natalie, I am disillusioned. I don't know who you mech who.

[Natalie Jean]

I've got a disgusting flesh.

[Adam]

Well, then you know where I'm sending my. Yeah, I Like it. Cause there's a bunch of open drinks and a bunch of technology close to me. Yeah.

[Natalie Jean]

So many things.

[Adam]

Yeah. And I love how scared Adam's getting with where I'm gonna put my lightning.

[Natalie Jean]

You are giving, like a queer women in wrestling character.

[Adam]

Thank you. Oh, my God. I am. I'm Glo hunt. Thanks. Honestly, there was missing a lightning ass in Glow, so. Or you could be like a storm.

[Natalie Jean]

A lightning ass is always missing.

[Adam]

Yeah. And these wings. I will say I forgot my wings. And we just had these wings upstairs. These have.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, they don't stay on.

[Adam]

So busted.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah. Yeah. They're not sideways.

[Adam]

They're not gonna be forever.

[Natalie Jean]

We really go through wings in this office.

[Adam]

Destroy them.

[Natalie Jean]

And not just us.

[Adam]

And also all kinds of shows. Wings are more expensive than you'd expect.

[Natalie Jean]

Well, they're kind of.

[Adam]

You could like, what is it a specialty item? Well, yes, but like racism. The.

[Natalie Jean]

The cheap versions are rip off. So you could make those with cardboard and glue and feathers.

[Adam]

Right.

[Natalie Jean]

They're. They're definitely a convenience item, which I do all the time, but you could make them for, like, probably five to $10.

[Adam]

Who's got the time? Who's got the Versaille? Matude?

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, we've. We rolled. We all should stop looking at the Internet more and just making wings.

[Adam]

Yeah.

[Natalie Jean]

Aw.

[Adam]

Except if you're only making wings for yourself, I imagine at some point your partner would come in and be like, do you want to talk about this?

[Natalie Jean]

Maybe not at my house.

[Adam]

I need more wings, baby. I need to fly.

[Natalie Jean]

I don't know if you'd even notice.

[Adam]

If you were just making wings all the time, man. Read like, oh, yeah, I noticed more feathers, but I wasn't going to ask.

[Natalie Jean]

Yep.

[Adam]

Keep them in the dark.

[Natalie Jean]

That's a little look into our fun little house that we have.

[Adam]

Do you need, like, you need me to oil you?

[Natalie Jean]

Thank you, but technically we're enemies, so you shouldn't oil me.

[Adam]

I'm trying to be nice. Maybe if I could befriend you, I can change your technology.

[Natalie Jean]

Murderbots cannot friend sucks.

[Adam]

Yeah, well, like, I don't know what to say. I guess I'm gonna.

[Natalie Jean]

Excited with your. Your lightnings. Yep. I'm so, so excited to see them over and over again. Really?

[Adam]

Yeah.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah.

[Adam]

No, there's no way I'm gonna do it again.

[Natalie Jean]

Chapter Boo. That is a good. Oh, he gets like a lightning.

[Adam]

Lightning.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah. A.

[Adam]

That's cute, man. Imagine if he could zap that dick, though, Logan. Make it like. It's like, in the way that Like.

[Natalie Jean]

I think he does.

[Adam]

And then he zaps it into. I mean, not in this scene. I want him to zap it into her.

[Natalie Jean]

Maybe he does. We don't know.

[Adam]

You're right. Let's jump in.

[Natalie Jean]

Chapter 43 is with Hunt's POV.

[Adam]

Just nipple top. Right now. I'm not lightning. I'm just nipple.

[Natalie Jean]

You have to choose one or the other.

[Adam]

Also, look at my nipples and how look good they look. And I will say I flashed Henry in the staircase and I went nipples at work. And Henry was like, oh, I legitimately thought I was about to throw up. And it was like when we were on the stairs and he almost fell down the stairs. It's pretty funny.

[Natalie Jean]

Well, technically correct response from a brother.

[Adam]

Nipples at work. And a boss.

[Natalie Jean]

And a boss.

[Adam]

Nipples at work. We keep them at home.

[Natalie Jean]

The correct response is to almost die in an accident going down the stairs.

[Adam]

Worth it.

[Natalie Jean]

So we're with Hunt pov and he is just teleported in with the others because. That's right. It's infiltration day on the coronal Islands. More specifically, Idra island, which is a reference to a Greek island.

[Adam]

Oh.

[Natalie Jean]

He, along with Rune and Bryce, have been brought here by Cormac, whose teleportation abilities have limits. And each person has to be brought sort of like lily pad style, where, like, he has to take, like, a big breath and then, like, take them this far, and then they have to take a minute and then they have to go this far. Which, to me, that makes teleportation much more interesting because if you just do this blanket statement of, like, you could just zip and zop around, it's like, well, then how would anybody not have any problems, right?

[Adam]

Like zipping and zapping everywhere. It must take mental and physical strain.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, yeah.

[Adam]

And so must every limit. It's limited.

[Natalie Jean]

Otherwise, it's just like a finite thing where it doesn't add anything to this, the environment or the story. But. So he is like, taking them all to this island. And it is. Each jump is draining Cormac of power and energy. By the end, Cormac is barely standing, and the other three are fighting through, quote, air sickness, which seems to rival seasickness. The quick movements must rock the brains of even powerful veneer. So I do want to be able to teleport, but I do imagine it must scramble your. Your guts a little bit.

[Adam]

I mean, it. It does always. It's kind of what, you know, one of the few things that I don't want to bring up about Harry Potter, but I Do did always love like the splinching thing. I like the idea that like you could be like just ripped in half while you're teleporting.

[Natalie Jean]

I do mention.

[Adam]

Do you really? Oh, splinch sisters.

[Natalie Jean]

Splinch sisters. So Cormac, practically fainting, tells them he'd return after he does something unspecified and leaves the three teleported into a cave nearby where Ophion's hiding spot is. So they're sort of just like in the wings, watching as Ophion unloads these suits. Like this that look probably pretty close to this.

[Adam]

Is that Ronald McDonald? No. He's made out of metal. Is he made out of hamburgers? I. I don't know. I don't want to cut into him.

[Natalie Jean]

I mean, you don't wanna or do I? You gotta. You gotta find out what's underneath the foil.

[Adam]

Come here, Ronald.

[Natalie Jean]

Interesting. You see, Ronald, I guess the makeup.

[Adam]

It's the makeup. Yeah.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, but like an old timey black and white.

[Adam]

Yeah, like. Yeah, like one of the.

[Natalie Jean]

Like a real scary one.

[Adam]

Like.

[Amica Insurance Announcer]

Hello?

[Natalie Jean]

Yes.

[Adam]

Oh, yeah.

[Natalie Jean]

Hello, Sheldon.

[Adam]

Yeah.

[Natalie Jean]

No.

[Adam]

You have no lips.

[Natalie Jean]

Would you like to come into my hamburger shop? Come inside.

[Adam]

Are you?

[Natalie Jean]

I have a pit filled with balls.

[Adam]

Wow. I mean, are there hypodermic needles in there? Because count me in.

[Natalie Jean]

I mean, I love a ball pit. I'll go in. I don't care.

[Adam]

You never wanted to kiss the Hamburglar? That big mouth, what it do ain't just for fries no more.

[Natalie Jean]

I've never considered that the Hamburglar has genitals. Ever.

[Adam]

I imagine he licks from side to side as well as up and down, which I guess any tongue can do. But like think of how much more cuz it's like hamburger style, you know?

[Natalie Jean]

Are you talking about the one, the hamburger head?

[Adam]

Yeah.

[Natalie Jean]

I thought Hamburglar didn't have a hamburger head. He did. Which one is the one that has the.

[Adam]

The like the. The thief. There's like the thief one and that is Hamburglar. But then there's also. Sometimes he is drawn with that head.

[Natalie Jean]

Okay, wait.

[Adam]

Oh God. This is where we get down to the brass tacks. Hamburger head McDonald's.

[Natalie Jean]

Okay, so the hamburger head is Officer Big.

[Adam]

Oh my God. I've been wanting to kiss a police officer this entire time.

[Natalie Jean]

No.

[Adam]

What that mouth do. But yeah. Oh, you're right. Natalie, thank you. Thank God we're talking about this. I don't want to fuck the Hamburglar. But I don't want to fuck this police officer burger either.

[Natalie Jean]

You know, what's a girl to do.

[Adam]

Be a fucking Grim, though. What's the only the St. Patrick's Day one though.

[Natalie Jean]

Grim. What now? Wait, Grimace, Grimace, Grimace, Grimace. Mac tonight. I don't know what that is. Oh, that's a random one. Mac tonight is a moonhead. Okay, we have to talk about this. This.

[Adam]

But have you looked at the St. Patrick's Day Uncle O. Grimacey. That's what his name is. Mayor McCheese.

[Natalie Jean]

Thank you, Adam.

[Adam]

I was thinking of. Thank you, Adam. Come and check. Fucking throw. Thank you, Mayor McCheese. And I'd say Mayor Mc. Squeeze me on that dick.

[Natalie Jean]

Okay, yeah, There's Mayor. Mayor McCheese.

[Adam]

Mayor McCheese.

[Natalie Jean]

Check him out.

[Adam]

He's the one for me. He's the one I'm going after because I go after government officials. Anyone that can give me more power. Anyone that can give me more stance in this community. I'm looking at you, Mayor McCheese, and will you please give these. Squeeze my nipples. Oh, my God.

[Natalie Jean]

Okay, we have to talk about this.

[Adam]

We're talking about the. Oh, my wings. Oh, my wings. Oh, my wings.

[Natalie Jean]

Okay, so anyway, anyway, we are. Yeah. Cormac is going off. Darian says he shouldn't have eaten breakfast, which is the. For me. I. If I get sick, nauseated and sick if I don't eat food. But I guess that I'm weird. I'm not like the other girls. Hunt is doubly grumpy thinking about back on that morning, how he'd arrived back at Bryce's apartment from the barracks. Because remember, he's being freed from his.

[Adam]

Punishment and I wasn't even jerking off or nothing. And you gotta get my balls not being blue.

[Natalie Jean]

That is something that women love and are very wet.

[Adam]

Give me suck.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, women love when their boyfriends turn into like little whiny little toddlers, you.

[Adam]

Know, asking for something for everybody out there.

[Natalie Jean]

So they meet up in that morning right before they're all about to leave. And he's grumpy like that because only moments before he's. He arrived only moments before Therian does. So basically they had like a couple seconds of almost hooking up, like direct, like in the kitchen. And then theory and walks in like, hey.

[Adam]

God, they want it so bad.

[Natalie Jean]

They do. From their vantage in cave where they are now, they're able to peer across the way towards the ships that are covertly offloading the hall from the spine. Okay. Cormac apparently has teleported over there to get some intel. So he's basically, because he is supposed to be there, he can Be there. He's from. He's with Ovon. He's a known spy for them. And the other ones are kind of having to like wait back in the shadows and Hunt spots him pop back into the cave. Looking at him, Hunt wonders how Cormac is going to get them all off of the island. Because he is not doing well. He needs like, rest. He's obviously weakened significantly from the trip there, but no matter. Cormac has other bad news. Pippa Spetsos has already taken this mission over, which was the last thing that they wanted.

[Adam]

Oh, it's like this bitch. Like, don't you have enough to do? Stop taking other things.

[Natalie Jean]

Do you want her to have this kind of power? Like, do you want her to have me in her corner? No.

[Adam]

No. I mean, if you came at me with a knife, I would be very scared.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, whatever.

[Adam]

This, you know, the face. It's the face.

[Natalie Jean]

It's really.

[Adam]

Which usually I don't. I'm not scared of your face.

[Natalie Jean]

Thank you.

[Adam]

You're welcome.

[Natalie Jean]

Thank you.

[Adam]

Oh, no, your head.

[Natalie Jean]

I kind of have a little bit of a crow makeup face.

[Adam]

That's what between these wings and that face. Yeah, we're all. We're. We're a moida over here.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, we're a. Murder grows. So she has convinced all of the other leaders of Ophion that she is the right one to handle these suits. And now she has these horrific bioweapons in her hand. So we're about to find out. Their bioweapons. How much better is that than the Asteri? So Pippa is a mad person. Is it any better than the Asteri? Maybe a tiny teeny bit.

[Adam]

It's almost like anyone that wants that amount of power is probably.

[Natalie Jean]

Probably bad. That's why the hambler. The mayor McCheese was the. The right mayor. The mayor. The hamburger. The mayor McCheese just wanted to be a hamburger.

[Adam]

Yeah.

[Natalie Jean]

But instead it was his. Became a hero.

[Adam]

Yeah. He had to take that role on. And honestly, that's why I'm be chewing on them pickles if that's what he wants.

[Natalie Jean]

With his consent.

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[Natalie Jean]

Therian curses When Cormac shuts down the idea of trying to isolate Pippa for questioning, he also tells them he couldn't risk asking about Emile or Sophie without raising suspicion. So, yeah, basically, if they try too much to, like, push for information, like, homegirl is not new to the rodeo. She is diabolical herself. She's gonna. If you're messing about. And she's likely becoming more paranoid the further she goes into madness and power, which is oft the case with megalomaniac leaders. And Cormac leads them closer. And they watch as humans in the old style mech suits carry huge crates containing the new veneer. Mech suits.

[Adam]

You're the new veneer. Okay. That's why the face. Okay, yeah.

[Natalie Jean]

So they're basically using the old mech suits to, like, lift the new ones up, which is pretty cute.

[Adam]

Oh, it's like. Yeah, it's like a cute version of Human Centipede.

[Amica Insurance Announcer]

It is.

[Adam]

You know, so.

[Natalie Jean]

So they're watching from the cave, all this happening, and Hunt tells them they're. He's describing the suits as he sees them. So the ones the humans are wearing right now to, like, lift stuff up, he's like, these are military. They shouldn't be using them for this. But they have 12 guns on them. They're called 12 gunners. This is like, why mine has extra guns on it too.

[Adam]

Oh, is that what those. Oh, yeah. I mean, I knew that they were guns, obviously. Yeah. Oh, yes. Yeah.

[Natalie Jean]

But they don't need 12 guns on the. These new ones. They only need two because of all of the new technology on them.

[Adam]

Whoa.

[Natalie Jean]

They are actually meant for war. But they're also handy to lift stuff up, which, yeah, fair. The suits are rusty with age, and Hun points out that that's because the Asteri has managed to blow up multiple spots containing the human mech suit exoskeletons. And so there are fewer and fewer remaining operable. Hence the reason they want to take the Hysteria's technology. Cormac reveals that the way this crew is going to get in and see Pippa is using Hunt as a mech expert to assist Ophion. So essentially, Cormac went in, went, I know this dude. He knows all about robots, and he's a mechspert.

[Adam]

And yeah, I did make the word shorter.

[Natalie Jean]

I like that. To assist ophion in explaining, you know, the tech of the new suit. So, in essence, they are now expected. Instead of hiding in the shadows, now they have an excuse to be there. Kind of. Hunt is trying his best not to panic about officially aiding Opion as a sitting member of the Ox, because he is getting deeper and deeper in River. So even if it's for ulterior purposes, he's now going to be spotted by dozens of people here being a rebel. And whether or not he's doing it for the cause or not. And then they spot the brown haired, freckled human woman making her way towards them, where they stand by the boat that was holding the suits moments ago.

[Adam]

From the way Cormac tensed, Hunt knew who it was. He noted that she wore the uniform of the Lightfall Squadron. All the rebels who'd gone by had borne armbands with the Sinking sun emblem.

[Natalie Jean]

So the Lightfall Squadron is the deadliest one, of course. And this means that they are ready to do a bunch of murders with these suits. Pippa doesn't bother with greetings, simply orders Cormac to open the crate and tells Hunt she is awaiting his analysis. She calls him.

[Adam]

My nails is your bitch.

[Natalie Jean]

Whoa.

[Adam]

What?

[Natalie Jean]

I don't think that's a good idea to do that.

[Adam]

All right, he's not gonna say that.

[Natalie Jean]

You should hold it back. Make it an inside thought.

[Adam]

Or maybe I should make it like a better insult, because I feel like if she recalled a bitch she'd like. And she's like, okay, yeah, I'm the head of a rebel organization, so yeah, I guess.

[Natalie Jean]

Congratulations. So she calls him umber immortis in their greetings, likely to make it known she knows who and what he is. Always threatening, always scheming. She notes the way that they are looking at her and smirks at Cormac, accuses him of turning them against her. She's like, oh, you telling them bad stories about me, Cormac? She then dresses them all down, calls them out on their plans. She guesses pretty accurately. So Pippa's already kind of on their ass. Not that she doesn't know everything, but she's like, oh, you're just trying to take these suits away from me. You want. You want to control them instead of me. Don't. You're like. And that there was. And they also want to shake her down for info about a meal. No, a me. Are you meal? I don't know.

[Adam]

Thunderbird is what? Oh, you wouldn't even say what because you're not a Thunderbird. Okay, fine.

[Natalie Jean]

But Pippa thinks that they also want him for a weapon, so they don't know all of the reasons they want Emil. They. She basically only thinks in war terms, so she thinks that they want a meal for a weapon to take away from her. Therian accuses her of torturing the people whose bodies he'd found. So basically Tharian accuses her of being the one who murdered all of the people that he had to go clean up after.

[Adam]

Oopsie, poopsie.

[Natalie Jean]

She actually says, I didn't do it.

[Adam]

But that is it wasn't me. I would keep going, but we've got an episode to get to.

[Natalie Jean]

And she sneers at them for acting like they're any better than her. She's like, you all kill people too, so what is your even deal problem? Okay, she leaves a cryptic accusation at the end.

[Adam]

She shook her head in mock sympathy.

[Natalie Jean]

You're too coiled up in your own snake's nest to see the truth. Or to see who among you has a forked tongue.

[Adam]

Is she accusing back breaking snake in the grass. Show yourself.

[Natalie Jean]

Who is it? We don't know. Does she know something we don't? Or is she just being all, I don't know, don't know? She throws at a few more barbs as the crate is open and then again tells Hunt to go do his work. Go look at them. This is why you're here, dum dum. Go look. He walks toward them and quickly grimaces.

[Adam]

Like uncle O Grimacey.

[Natalie Jean]

Just like that. He turns purple, his mouth gets huge, turns green.

[Adam]

That's the St. Patrick's Day version, not a green one.

[Natalie Jean]

Yes, he's heard about this as a theory. So he knows from back in the day when he was with Sandrill. They had talked about the kind of technology he's realizing that these mech suits have. Peppa asks if they can be better than the ones that they currently have, since she's like, these like new mech suits are tiny and so like sexy and feminine and petite.

[Adam]

Oh, it's what we're always looking for in our robots. Thank you.

[Natalie Jean]

And she's like, our old mech suits are bigger. How can these little tiny, cute, adorable, sexy new ones be better? And Hun has bad news for her and everyone. It don't matter the size because these new mech suits have Gorzian stone embedded in the interior and exterior.

[Adam]

So sucks Natalie.

[Natalie Jean]

It does suck. That's bad news for everybody. So this is the thing that hunt her disgust by some of the angels. In the past, the Asteri were attempting to come up with a way for the stone to be used to pull in power from the very ground, and that when it's taken up into the stone, it can be used to project first light, AKA Brimstone missiles. So essentially, you're going to the ley lines where all of the first light is being sucked through the ground. Okay. And then you connect the stones in the suit to the electricity which gets sucked up into the machine, and then you can turn that manifest, all of that energy into a bomb.

[Adam]

Whoa. All right. Sounds scary.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, sure, it does sound scary. I don't like it. Bryce sees the hunger in Pippa's eyes and exclaims that this tech will clearly just kill infinite people. Like, there's. It's not a war weapon. That's why the big war weapons are scary, because, like, this is. This is just like. Like, everybody.

[Adam]

It's a massacre. Yeah, yeah.

[Natalie Jean]

It's like. It's the. This is just pure rage and hate and, like, there's no. Whatever. That's disgusting, you know? So Pippa doesn't want to hear it. She's already justified it in her head that it will be a good thing, like all warmongers end up doing. They watch as Pippa laughs unhingedly and mumbles to herself.

[Adam]

Some time off.

[Natalie Jean]

She's very excited, and she mumbles to herself, villain style, that these will show the veneer how people suffer.

[Adam]

You need to get laid.

[Natalie Jean]

I don't think she needs to get put into a pad in a room or something.

[Adam]

Something masturbator. Give her a lobotomy. God. Again.

[Natalie Jean]

Again.

[Adam]

We all wish all of them.

[Natalie Jean]

Everyone's like, okay, yeah, that's backing away slowly. Hunt tells her that this will only lead to destruction, and she goes into her villain diatribe. What is a gun but a killing machine? And she's not wrong. What are you? Veneer. That's what she sounds like to me. She sounds like, as bad as, like, all of the bad people she's trying to save people from or whatever. She's. It's like that's. She's lost the entire plot. She's not there to save and protect. She's there to destroy.

[Adam]

No, it's main character syndrome. It's like, Pips, nobody's even thinking about you.

[Natalie Jean]

Let me adjust my gun here for a second.

[Adam]

Let me adjust my gun.

[Natalie Jean]

You're just filled with song today. Thank you. What do you run? Turns on and asks if ophion would be able to use them. Hunt says no one should use them, ever. He tells Cormac that he should track down the scientists and destroy them, the plans, all of it. Although, you know, it's like, then who's the. Who's not a monster at that point?

[Adam]

Who watches the Watchmen?

[Natalie Jean]

All that, you know, I am become death.

[Adam]

Oh, yeah, yeah.

[Natalie Jean]

However, Pippa tells them that the Veneer have asked for everything that's coming for them. Bryce tries to insert asking about Emile into the argument, calling him the quote, poor boy that she tormented. So she's like, Pippa, you. Where's this poor kid that you obviously don't give a shit about life or, you know, alive or dead? And Pippa just laughs. She tells them that Emile isn't some weak little baby that they make him out to be, that he is actually quite powerful, but he's like 10, so it is fair to call him a baby. She further tells them that he's in a place that even Ophion doesn't want to tread. He's fine. And she also doesn't give a care about him anymore because she only wanted him for his Thunderbirding. And they have these apocal suits now. And she raises her eyeline to the ship deck where all of the suits had been pulled off from, and there's still a handful of crew visible, their backs to Hunt and the gang below.

[Adam]

Five mayor, two shifter types, none in an Ophion uniform. Rebel sympathizers, then, who'd likely volunteered their boat and services to the cause. They raised their hands.

[Natalie Jean]

Hunt asks what the fuck she is doing. And then Pippa raises her arm in.

[Adam]

A signal, guns cracked, blood sprayed, and Hunt flung out a wing, shading Bryce from the mist of red. The veneer crumpled, and Ruhn and Cormac began shouting. But Hunt watched, frozen, as the Lightfall Squadron on deck approached, the fallen crew pumping their heads full of bullets.

[Natalie Jean]

So she just committed a bunch of murders, specifically. Even when there's, like, a justification where they call it, like, it's war or whatever. Those were allies, yeah, they were, like.

[Adam]

Helping you out, you.

[Natalie Jean]

So that would even, in stupid war terms, be considered murder.

[Adam]

But she sees them as peons, so it's not murder, but it is just cleaning up the bugs, Natalie.

[Natalie Jean]

And it's like, really effed up because they all put themselves on the line to help the rebels and then they just kill them. But, okay, so killing anyone is. Is messed up, but she's out here straight murdering allies. Cormac gets in her face Obviously Cormac didn't know this was going to happen. It reminds her that these veneer would be helping and be unharmed. According to her, that was why they agreed to help. She sort of just shrug emojis and says hey, this is war and they can't risk being sold out. Blah blah blah. I think she just likes killing. I guess the veneer in front of her are too powerful to kill off without hell raining down on them. Because like, it's the Ember Mortise, it's the Fae princess, all this stuff. She can't just like shoot them. As much as she probably even hates.

[Adam]

Listening to them if she can't even shoot them.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah. Oh, waste my time. She also tells them that she was simply following orders for the mysterious Command, whomever that might be. Which you never want to hear people say. She checks her phone as they all gape at her having witnessed a mass execution moments ago. Pippa lets out a woman's just like cool.

[Adam]

Well yeah, that's just a heat, huh? She's just gonna do that, right?

[Natalie Jean]

Another day I guess. Pippa lets out a whistle and all of the nearby Ophion members follow her as she reportedly goes to check in with her superiors. Leaving the gang on the portway, they regroup, the others telling Therian that if he tries to interrogate Pippa now that she's in charge of these weapons, that the Blue Court will be asking for trouble. So if he does try to interfere, they have mother of all bomb bullshit. Yeah, so?

[Adam]

And you can't go against that?

[Natalie Jean]

No, it'd be a bad idea. They all agree that helping Ophion do whatever they are plotting with these suits is not something they're willing to do, even if they are sympathetic to the plight of humans. It's crystal clear that Lightfall will take lives at with no discretion. They worry that Pippa will sack the entire city of Lunatheon. Hunt says that he's going to trust Bryce to come up with some way to get this warning to the governing bodies in Lunatheon without them being implic. She thinks about it and announces that also they can't let Lightfall have access to these suits. So not only is she going to warn the others that they have to destroy these mech suits, Hunt agrees. He watches her and they have a wordless conversation, understanding they are on the same page. Bryce says, light it up, Hunt baby. What?

[Adam]

Cormac World, what are you. Hunt didn't give the prince time to finish before he laid a hand on the suit and blasted it apart. With his lightning I'm on. Light it as you, bitch. I'm all lighted as you, bitch. Fuck you, bitch. I'm on a lightning as you, bitch.

[Natalie Jean]

Does that mean I can take some of this off?

[Adam]

Yeah, sure. Yeah. You could take some of the guns out. I definitely took out, like, all of your guns, so you can take them all off.

[Natalie Jean]

I think the only thing actually, I can't take off is this.

[Adam]

Because you're taped in. This is great. I love my lightning. I do want to. I feel like he should be yelling, ride the lightning. Or does that take away from his lightning powers? I don't know, but I feel like if I had lightning powers, I'd also. I. How do you stop screaming ride the lightning when you attack someone with your lightning?

[Natalie Jean]

I think.

[Adam]

I mean, do you see my chest? I'm lightning. I'm all lightning.

[Natalie Jean]

I think you just go into a fugue state. Oh, yep. That's right. Perfect.

[Adam]

Thank you. So, wings every time I move. Every time I move. You're not supposed to do that. Wings. You're supposed to be eloquent.

[Natalie Jean]

Eloquent.

[Adam]

Yeah, because I've got wings.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh.

[Adam]

And I'm like.

[Natalie Jean]

I'm so, like, elegant or eloquent?

[Adam]

Eloquent.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, I thought that was when you talked.

[Adam]

Probably.

[Natalie Jean]

I don't know. I'm not trying to.

[Adam]

Thanks for calling me out, Natalie. You want to also correct me on other things. Natalie, I'm wrong a lot.

[Natalie Jean]

No, I'm wrong a lot, too.

[Adam]

I know.

[Natalie Jean]

I'm also wrong.

[Adam]

You're probably right. I had to look up the other day because I was discussing. In Sookie Stackhouse, they were talking about, like, he wasn't just. He wasn't just attractive, he was handsome. And then I was like, what is the difference? And then I realized, I looked it up, and it's like, handsome is, like, your physical quality, and then attractive is the whole package. And I was like, I never thought about that before.

[Natalie Jean]

I guess that makes sense. So.

[Adam]

Makes sense, I guess. Yeah.

[Natalie Jean]

I could. I could say somebody's handsome and not be attracted to them. It's usually personality based in that. Yeah.

[Adam]

So although that werewolf I want fuck.

[Natalie Jean]

Well, I'm attracted to these men here because they destroy the war weapons. And it looks like the gang's at it again. We cut to Bryce's POV in this moment, in a matter of seconds, Hunter shattered the biomech suits with his lightning blast. Lightning again? No, he takes out the transpo vehicles nearby, too. So he is just, like, ripped a new one for Ophion.

[Adam]

I'm like, all kinds of lightning right now.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah. As much danger as they are in, Bryce is sort of entranced, watching his power. Cormac screams that there are brimstone missiles on the trucks. He's exploding. But Hunt just grins and says, just the one over there. I didn't blow up, because I can tell which ones have the explosion. Whoa.

[Adam]

Because he's, like, made of lightning, but he's also in control of the situation. He's not even, like, losing control. Yeah, it is hot.

[Natalie Jean]

It is. He's used his history of warfare to somehow figure out where the explosives are. He shouts for Tharion to take over for that one.

[Adam]

Tharion grinned back. Pure predator. The male behind the charming mask. A wall of water slammed into the pie truck, sending it toppling over the quay. Tharion's power sucked it swiftly and deeply below and then created a small eddy. Larson, the ham guy. Forming an open tunnel to the truck. Aw.

[Natalie Jean]

A tiny little Eddie.

[Adam]

Little Eddie came out, went, whoa. Oh, the biggest baby in Florida. Give me some ham. And he's just like, we're in the middle. Get out of here. Get out. Go get us sandwiches or something.

[Natalie Jean]

I also. I'm sure the. That a pie truck is some military term, but I just imagine just, like, exploding pies are everywhere.

[Adam]

There's apple pie all over the place. But especially, like, on a battlefield. That. Or maybe you always have a dessert truck at a battlefield. That'll tell you something to look forward to.

[Natalie Jean]

It's how you get your soldiers to do stuff, and you're like, you go bring it, everybody. You're getting froyo. Whoa. Toppings bar. Yep.

[Adam]

Good Lord.

[Natalie Jean]

So once it's in the water, Hunt lightnings the truck and Therian closes the funnel, essentially detonating the bombs underwater. Rip to the fish close by, I guess.

[Adam]

Yeah, I see. All right. Grill them up.

[Natalie Jean]

I'm so afraid of my eye.

[Adam]

I am really trying to not take your eye out.

[Natalie Jean]

Thank you. That would put a damper on the day and all the scheduling things we have.

[Adam]

Yeah. But we could keep, like, quoting a Christmas Story and that would be fun, wouldn't it? Yeah. Everyone would love that.

[Natalie Jean]

Love that. Cormac looks on in shock that this is happening, and Bryce is waiting to see how he'll respond to the surprise. Cormac is the only real Ophion member here, and so it's unclear where his priorities lie. Will he turn on them? How will he explain this to Ophion? He starts to scream to the approaching soldiers that it was an accident. Who's going to believe that. He's like, they blew up on, oh, whoopsie. We just destroyed all of your arsenal. I tripped. I tripped. In the thick of chaos. Hunt tells Roon. They're peacing out, not wanting, not waiting for Cormac to decide who he's helping. So is Cormac going to, like, turn on them? Is Cormac going to try the snake?

[Adam]

Is he gonna be on Ophian's side or is he gonna.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, because it's kind of hard to really gauge. Like, he's obviously in for the cause, but trying to support Pippa in this moment would be also really messed up. So, like, what's he gonna do? And they're like, we're not gonna find out. So Hunt is guess he's going to try to somehow fly out with Rune and Bryce, though I don't know how long it is until they reach another shore or how that would even be possible. Darian says it I'm not going to try to intercept HIPAA at this point and try to figure out where Emil is. I mean, I think we're a little past that right now.

[Adam]

Yeah.

[Natalie Jean]

As all hell breaks loose. Presumably he'd morph and go underwater into his merbody before any of this can happen. Bryce watches Cormac raise his arms at the approaching Ophion soldiers, being like, no, guys, look, it's. Wait, let me explain. Which. It doesn't matter. She hears a shot ring out, and Cormac collapses to the ground. Moments later, Hunt is watching Cormac grasp his shoulder where the bullet hit and did not exit. He has been shot with a Gorzian bullet. How else will Ophion keep the veneer in check without it? This renders Cormac unable to teleport, no matter the case of where he stands. Hunt realizes that he can't fly out of the cave they've been backed into without being an easy target. So now what, fellas? You didn't really think this out.

[Adam]

Nope. Back against the wall, boys.

[Natalie Jean]

Just as Hunt decides he'd take his chances flying them out, Bryce says, close your eyes, boys. She does say that Bryce blinds the approaching cavalcade with her sun power. They scream. Hunt is almost blinded even with his eyes closed. When she gives the signal, she tells Hunt to go, go, go, go. Therian points them towards a nearby boat, and they all dart towards it. As they untie the boat and Therian starts the motor up, Cormac and Bryce began to scream at one another. Cormac tries to justify Ophion's choices In.

[Adam]

The middle of all this. Can we just keep going?

[Natalie Jean]

Bryce tells him he's as crazy as they are. And if he thinks that this kind of tactic will bring about anything better than they already have, he's an idiot. She tells him to fuck off. And theory. And also get out of here, theory. And again, I'm mad at you once again for good measure. You're out of my life. She doesn't want anything to do with any of their bullshit causes anymore.

[Adam]

Okay, all right. Can we just get out of this situation? She needs to do her speech. She's got to say it.

[Natalie Jean]

She's furious. But Hans kicking his feet in the air and stuff, squealing. He's like, yay, we don't have to do this anymore. He's so happy. He didn't want to be a part of any of this in the first place. The boat takes off into the water, leaving behind a fiery ruin of an island and a bunch of recently blinded people by Bryce's breasts.

[Adam]

Hunt, you want me take my nipples out?

[Natalie Jean]

I would chop your breasts, man. That'd be awesome.

[Adam]

But look, you can see how much is that nipple in the corner.

[Natalie Jean]

I don't know if we're gonna get flagged for this or not.

[Adam]

You don't think so?

[Natalie Jean]

I have no idea.

[Adam]

But it's fake.

[Natalie Jean]

It's kind of. You can't tell from this.

[Adam]

No, you really can't tell from this angle.

[Natalie Jean]

It's kind of fun. They don't like to see. You have to scream. I'm a man.

[Adam]

I am a man. I am a man.

[Natalie Jean]

So even though they're kind of getting out of the way and everybody's kind of been blinded and they probably can't follow, Hunt still turns back to watch the receding shoreline just to make sure. And is greeted with the sight of a sort of familiar looking dog.

[Adam]

He knew that dog. That particular shade of black, like the wings it bore in its other form. The hound ran along the cliffs barking.

[Natalie Jean]

I just say the. I know that dog.

[Adam]

I know that dog.

[Natalie Jean]

Dog.

[Adam]

Get out of here. In the middle of a battle. No, it's a different dog.

[Natalie Jean]

That dog's driving a car.

[Adam]

Whoa. I. I am impressed. But I feel like we got to be doing other things, so.

[Natalie Jean]

That's right. It's Baxian once again. Oh, and he's pointing with his paw. Cute. Towards something westward. It seems as though Vaccine's trying to help. We think. However the f he found them in the first place.

[Adam]

Why is back following them like always behind them all.

[Natalie Jean]

Also hun Again, not good at tracing him, I guess. So Hun seems to infer that he's warning to the other. He goes. He watches Baxian point. He seems to think that Baxian is warning them not to go in the direction they're going in the boat. He already orders Tharion to change course. So he trusts Baxian enough to say, like I'm gonna listen to him in this moment. If Baxian's on those cliffs.

[Adam]

Bryce looped an arm through hunts and Prestige tight. Hunt could think of only one enemy Baxian might be summoned to work alongside the Hind. Can't be far away. It's no good. It is bad. But is Baxian good? We don't know.

[Natalie Jean]

We don't know.

[Adam]

We don't know.

[Natalie Jean]

We don't know.

[Adam]

It seems like he's following them, but we don't know.

[Natalie Jean]

We don't know yet. We still don't know what's going on there. That huge recap is just the gang into Idra discovering the mech suit stolen by Ophion for the from the Asteri, which contains Gorzian stone. In the mech suits, which Hunt surmises is intended to pull first light from the Earth on the ley lines, the power rushes through, which can then be manifested into bombs.

[Adam]

It's a lot.

[Natalie Jean]

Pippa's totally crazy. We know this. Shoots veneer allies in front of them. So she is off the charts bad. Haunted. Therion destroy the mech suit, which leads them to flee from the enraged Lightfall squadron heading for Pip. Up.

[Adam]

Great. On the run.

[Natalie Jean]

So chapter 44, Cormac's been shot, and he can't get out of the what? Oh, bloop way. So I wrote, cormac's been shot, and he can't get them out the bloop way. Which is the sound effect I thought happens when he teleports.

[Adam]

Ah, Bloop.

[Natalie Jean]

Bloop. So he can't take them out no matter what. He accuses Hunt of causing a big enough scene to direct the Hind right to them. So basically saying, this is your fault. You blew this up. Now they're gonna know where we are.

[Adam]

We're in the middle of a lot. We. Guys, we gotta stop talking in the middle. We'll figure this out later.

[Natalie Jean]

I mean, every horror movie ends up with one of these scenes where everybody's like, this is your fault.

[Adam]

I'm like, oh, I got. I'm riding the lightning. I don't know what to tell you.

[Natalie Jean]

You just ride that landing off into the Sunset. Yeah. So Bryce jumps in and volunteers to teleport them out. Cormac tells her she will not be able to do that safely. Bryce or with her POV in this moment realizes that when she reacted to begin the teleporting process, she automatically grabbed for Hunt's hand first. Okay. And feels. That would be weird. And it feel immense. Kill about not choosing run first.

[Adam]

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I thought it would be weird. It's like. Yeah, if you went after his dick and tried to pull him by his dick, that would be uncomfortable.

[Natalie Jean]

Many reasons.

[Adam]

Yeah. Don't do that. But it makes more sense that she was upset about. She should have saved Rune.

[Natalie Jean]

Do you think so?

[Adam]

I don't know.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, it's hard. It's hard what you. I don't know what you choose, but Hunt is her ride or die, so you got to do it. You know, she just. She did. Her natural instinct was to. To grab for. For Hunt. And honestly, she should listen to Cormac because there's no way she could safely teleport them. I don't know how it works on this planet, but this is where I was thinking about, you know? But also, what if you end up in a void pocket somewhere because you, like, couldn't finish.

[Adam]

Right.

[Natalie Jean]

Teleport that. You guys are just floating in space for all eternity out on the brain.

[Adam]

Bridge, and then you can't get back.

[Natalie Jean]

You're just stuck there on couches. I wonder if you could just manifest the whole world inside. Basically, they just like go comatose and you're just like inside of your brain and like you're. Whoa.

[Adam]

Yes.

[Natalie Jean]

You just build your own worlds. Like in the cell.

[Adam]

Exactly. Like in the cell. Like in Ready Player One. There's all kind. You know, just let my body atrophy. I'm just ready to live inside of my brain.

[Natalie Jean]

Sometimes it's real spooky in there.

[Adam]

Right?

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah. Or, you know, again, like the series by she who Would Not Be Named. What if one of your body parts stays behind? Right.

[Adam]

How do you get it back?

[Natalie Jean]

What are you gonna do? Like, I don't know if Bryce should be trying this right now. Hunt curses at looking at something and she follows his gaze. The hind and her crew has appeared on the horizon. He tells the others that her M.O. is to begin firing at the sky with her soldiers because they anticipate the winged to try to escape that way. So essentially, if they try to launch off, they're going to be just immediately shot.

[Adam]

Right.

[Natalie Jean]

That means they're left with a water Exit. Tharian has his binoculars out and tells them that Polox and the Harpy are with her and they had better get the F out of there. In fact, something on the horizon has him screaming for them to jump into the water. In that moment, he screams, get out of the boat now. Bryce knows better than to argue when that tone appears and she and the boys drop into the sea.

[Adam]

The others followed. Varian used his water magic to propel them a safe distance away. A wave of power that had Bryce sputtering as she emerged, salt stinging her eyes right as something massive and glowing shot beneath her legs. His dick. Ride the lightning.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, it's not. Torpedoes are sort of phallic. That's true. So a torpedo has been shot off. I don't know what you'd say about that.

[Adam]

Yeah, it goes exploded out.

[Natalie Jean]

It barrels towards them. Right where they were floating moments ago. Essentially, a torpedo was shot at the boat. It is blasted into smithereens, leaving the group. Group treading water with no land nearby. Thankfully, Therian was able to get them out of the way. Otherwise, they'd be fish. They'd be chum, chum in the water. If that wasn't already crap enough, they realized that three massive Omega boats are headed right their way. We cut over to Runes pov As they watch, two of the Omega boats head to the draw, presumably to take care of Ophion members. So one boat is only. I mean, they don't. One's enough. One Omega boat towards them is plenty because the other two are doing the other stuff. They quickly assess.

[Adam]

Got the Omega boats. They got the mech suits. It's just they have so much.

[Natalie Jean]

Everyone's mad at them right now.

[Adam]

Yikes.

[Natalie Jean]

They quickly assess plans and conclude the best bet that they have is to blind the members of the Omega boat with Bryce's starlight and capture it when they cannot see. So that quickly becomes a no go when they watch a wave skimmer detach from the bigger ship, carrying none other than the Hind.

[Adam]

Get out of here. Oh, no. Your head fell off. I didn't realize your head fell off.

[Natalie Jean]

What's been.

[Adam]

Wow.

[Natalie Jean]

That was when you blew me up.

[Adam]

Oh, thank you. Thank you for. Yeah. Keeping it real.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah. It's definitely not because I didn't want to balance it on my head anymore.

[Adam]

No, no, no, no.

[Natalie Jean]

So the Hind. We have the Hindu. And she is arriving. They regroup, and Hunt tells Bryce to still blind her at the right moment. They watch helplessly as she nears. Not too close, but close enough to talk to them. She does her villain style talk where she like, leans over her like another villain thing.

[Adam]

And we're just like, they gotta be the most villain they can be.

[Natalie Jean]

She toys with them, savoring, breaking down all the ways that they're screwed. She looks at Rune and his body fills with rage. He hopes he can get there before the others because he'd like to personally rip out her throat. She laughs and ponders how humiliating it will be for the fae to learn that two of their princes are traitors to the crown. Hunt speaks back, rue noticing nervously that lightning begins to crackle over him, even though Hunt has already pointed out that he can't shoot electricity while they're all in the water for reasons you might understand.

[Adam]

Oh, bathing toaster.

[Natalie Jean]

Yep. He almost doesn't seem to notice that he's building up lightning around him as though it's like a reactionary thing. It gets even more intense when the hind reaches into her pocket. So she is. Now we're in a world where the hind has found out that they are. Are a part of some kind of funny business. They're trapped. They are literally floating in the water and. Okay. Oh, I like it. Thank you. Good. So then now they're floating in the water. She has caught them. Fish in a barrel, I guess, in a way. And so Hunt seems to be reaction. His body seems to be reacting on, like a survival method maybe?

[Adam]

Yeah, like a toaster strudel.

[Natalie Jean]

Like a toaster strudel.

[Adam]

Feel like a toaster strudel.

[Natalie Jean]

Man, I ate a lot of those growing up, dude. Yeah.

[Adam]

Put some frost in honey and that frosting was good. I'd always suck it right out of the package, though.

[Natalie Jean]

I'm hungry.

[Adam]

Sorry, I can't do anything about it. Have some more coffee.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, that's what I do. Now it gets even more intense when the hind, she reaches into her pocket. During this, Hunt clearly expects a weapon and his lightning intensity of flies instead. Oh, I hear the lightning. A.

[Adam]

It's like I'm. I am an angel. Every time I want a B of rings, an angel gets its wings. I already had wings. You little girl.

[Natalie Jean]

So you mad at the little girl now?

[Adam]

Yeah. Okay.

[Natalie Jean]

She probably deserves it. Who knows? She's probably done some. Some horrible thing that little girl guaranteed. Instead of a weapon, the hind curiously pulls out a white stone. One that we, the readers have seen before.

[Adam]

She smiled slightly at Cormac.

[Natalie Jean]

I showed one of these to Sophie Renast before she died. You know, made this same demonstration.

[Adam]

Ah.

[Natalie Jean]

They all come to realize that their spirit suspicions were correct. The Hind has disposed of Sophie, and it really seems that she is in fact dead. Poor Cormac. He's had a hard day.

[Adam]

Sucks, man.

[Natalie Jean]

Cormac screams, but she only laughs softly. She drops the stone, just like with Sophie, like we saw at the beginning of the book, and then turns to brace. And Hunt suggests they come with her. Unless they'd like to follow the stone to the bottom of the ocean. Rue nervously watches Hunt's lightning increase, being like, hey, buddy. Hey, buddy. What are you doing over there? You want to talk? So he seemingly, at this point that this moment hunts. He seems overcome with rage and maybe fear. They're really up creek without a paddle. And it's too bad it's not Schitt's Creek, because that would be wacky.

[Adam]

Yeah. And then Moira Rose would come in, be like, oh, why look at that enlightenment.

[Natalie Jean]

That was your Moira Rose.

[Adam]

You know, I've never tried it before and that's the first thing that came out, so. Oh my God.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, I can't pull it out right now either. I haven't watched it in a while.

[Adam]

Yes, I'd have to. I'd have to sit and stare at Catherine o'.

[Commercial Narrator]

Hara.

[Adam]

Which David is that a Bebe. Wow, that's good.

[Natalie Jean]

It's not that good. But you are.

[Commercial Narrator]

You.

[Natalie Jean]

You do look like you're from the movie.

[Adam]

Thank you.

[Natalie Jean]

See, I feel like I have eyes.

[Adam]

I'm giving more. You're right. I am like the crows of eyes I thought I was given. More like Catherine o' Hara in Beetlejuice.

[Natalie Jean]

But I love that too.

[Adam]

Yeah.

[Natalie Jean]

Anyway, in fact, Rune is noticing that Hunt's eyes are now glowing with lightning. Probably not good. It looks like he's gonna explode. Varian curses under his breath and Rune asks him mind to mind why he did. Darian reports that something large is now surging towards the surface from the sea below. So another force is coming towards them. They are already being hunted by Ophion, nearly captured by the Hind. Who else wants some?

[Adam]

Good Lord. Lightning wrapped around Han's head, Rune's heart stalled a beat as it lingered like a crone making avant an anointed primal God willing to slaughter any in his path to save the female he loved. He'd fry every single one of them if it meant getting Price out alive.

[Natalie Jean]

So that leaves Ruhn unfortunately not protected. Yeah, he doesn't kiss Hunt, so he watches Hunt turn to Bryce, who doesn't seem at all afraid of Hunt. They exchange some glance and then Bryce powers her star. Unfortunately, we cut over to Bryce's pov. And before she can unleash that star, whatever has been ascending from below has reached their their paddling feet. In fact, once it gets to them, it keeps rising out of the water, knocking Bryce down with the others as a flat surface pushes them upwards out of the water. After a moment of shock, she assesses where they are. A ship, but not from the Asteri. There is an insignia of two entwined fish on it. Fish ship. She looks at Hunt, who has apparently been building up his power to help to beat the Hind with Bryce. That's kind of what maybe is happening, although I think it's really just can't control it. And now he is, baby, I could.

[Adam]

Take a pill for it.

[Natalie Jean]

And now he's all built up and getting blocked. He's got blue balls, but there's eyeballs.

[Adam]

Whoa.

[Natalie Jean]

And they're white probably. So he's got white, white balls. She tries to calm him, but he can only stare after the Hind who has retreated from whatever this ship is. So it seems like she's not in on whatever's going on here. But all he can think about is killing. Before she can think further on what to do, a voice comes from the hatch of the submarine slash boat thing. It's a female voice and it shouts for them to get down now. Come here and come down. Weighing their options, they decide to follow the orders of this stranger. It's no good up here. Might as well give down their shot. She seems that either Tharion or the ship has sent a wall of water shielding them from the other Triari. So basically where the Hind came from in the Omega boat, a big old water wall has gone up between them and the ship they're on. And it keeps the Triari from seeing what's happening here. Shaking off the dread that the Hind now knows they are rebels, she walks towards the dark haired female, beckoning them. Hunt hesitates, but follows Bryce when she makes it clear she's going. Rune, Therian and Cormac follow suit. Bryce notes that when the buzzing Hunt descends down the metal rungs, his lightning doesn't spark or shock, meaning that even though he's in a state, he's sort of lucid enough to control the lightning and not kill them. At least not to protect his mate. Bryce hears Rune point out that if this is an Ophion ship, they're basically hostages now. And frankly, I don't know who they wouldn't be hostages for at this point. There. Everybody hates enemy number one over here. As they reach the floor, she sees A clean white room filled with myrrh and humanoid form wearing blue uniforms.

[Adam]

What the heck?

[Natalie Jean]

What? The lady who has been calling them down looks alarmed at Hunt and makes it clear, trying to diffuse the situation that they are not here to hurt Bryce and the gang. Hunt just continues to glow and see. Seemingly unable to control his lightning or energy or anger. He makes little crackle sounds. Hunt just continues.

[Adam]

Wouldn't be silent if this is happening. Right? I feel like there would be some noise coming for the like zaps.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, maybe that. I was thinking more like.

[Adam]

That could work too. Maybe all of it together.

[Natalie Jean]

You know like when a bug gets an in Bug zapper.

[Adam]

Yeah.

[Natalie Jean]

That's the sounds that I imagine.

[Adam]

Yeah. I'm gonna turn them all into bug dust.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, so the merlady is like you called. Everyone's confused. What do you mean? You're saying we summoned you? She explains that she thought that they did because the ship's oracle got a call to come to this area and they simply followed Bryce's starlight that had started to go out when she was about to attack the hind. This really doesn't clear up too much. But the first impressions are that they are. This mer woman seems like she's not crazy. She doesn't seem like she's aggressive. So this is more than they can say for anyone else they've interacted with today. And so this seemed better than what was gonna happen.

[Adam]

Yeah.

[Natalie Jean]

Yet Hunt can't calm down. She hears Rune in her head telling her that Hunt was this same way the day he killed Sandriel. He thinks that this is connected by way of Bryce being in danger. So if Hunt goes into this sort of fugue state like this, he Ruhn is basically saying to Bryce in her mind, I think this has to do with you.

[Adam]

He says it means that he's going ballistic in the way that only mates can when the other is threatened. It's what happened then and what's happening now. You're true mates the way fae are mates in your bodies and souls. That's what was different about your scent the other day. Your scents have merged as they do between fae mates.

[Natalie Jean]

Whoa. Owie woah. Wow. So they're all mashed up together. Rune tells her to help him get his shit together. Basically that you need to deal with him. That he's lethal in a dangerous veneer type way. She sends him a mental image of a vulgar gesture in return. Siblings. But in her own thoughts.

[Adam]

She must suck to have to be the sibling. To be like you guys are like truly Fuck joined, man. That's why you stink. And it's why this is all happening right, man. I'd be like, I don't want to hear this it from you, Henry. Tell. I'd love anybody else to tell me.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah. Nobody's happy here.

[Adam]

No.

[Natalie Jean]

But in her own thoughts, she's emotionally moved by the idea that Hunt gets to this state for her and she's also.

[Adam]

Oh, it's hot.

[Natalie Jean]

Exhilarated question that he would move mountains to protect her.

[Adam]

Yeah. I can't stop my lightning from crackling.

[Natalie Jean]

It's true. The merlady begins to lead them towards another chamber. A glass hallway like the ones I accidentally made you afraid of, Jack.

[Adam]

Thank you for bringing it up.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah. She introduces herself as Commander Sendes. Bryce marvels at part of the ship through the glass hallway. So she can kind of. They can all as they're walking through, they can see parts of the ship through this big glass arch thing. And she believes it resembles a squid. The way she can see it. One the size of a skyscraper on.

[Adam]

Its side, a squid as large as the Commidium and made of glass and matte metal for stealth. Sendis lifted her chin.

[Natalie Jean]

Welcome to the Depth Charger, one of the six city ships of the Ocean Queen's court beneath. That is a hard sentence.

[Adam]

It is, it is. Whoa.

[Natalie Jean]

Okay, so we are with the Ocean Queen.

[Adam]

It's the Ocean Queen, not the River Queen. Okay, but also, that's really big. This is really. This is like such a show of, you know, a show of. Of being on the same side of choosing them. But also who summoned them.

[Natalie Jean]

Right, exactly. Also, we don't know if they're on their side. We don't know who they showed up. They showed up. They don't know why they were summoned.

[Adam]

Who called the Oracle.

[Natalie Jean]

They don't know nothing. And so in this chapter, they are escaping. They meet up with the Hind. The Hind interrogates them and mocks them. They're about to attack back when this ship has arrived, takes them down and now they're sort of left to speak with one another to figure out are we going to be fighting or what do you.

[Adam]

Who do you.

[Natalie Jean]

Where do you loyalty stand? Why are you helping us? And we are, you know, we have these public enemy number ones on on a ship belonging to the Ocean Queen. Friend or foe?

[Adam]

Are they hostages?

[Natalie Jean]

Hard to believe.

[Adam]

Please read up until chapter 47 for next week.

[Commercial Narrator]

It.